Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 35 · 40 questions

Engineer's tip (Triangles stay put): Triangles are rigid; trusses, towers and frames use them. A pin-jointed frame with n sides needs n − 3 corner-to-corner braces; a row of n triangles uses 2n + 1 straws. Arches squeeze (compression); beams span gaps; domes are arches turned round in a circle.

1. 1.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
2. 2.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
4. 4.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
8. 8.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
11. 11.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
13. 13.🔺 A frame shaped like a triangle is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
16. 16.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
18. 18.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
19. 19.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a truss bridge side (d) a shelf on two brackets
22. 22.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
27. 27.🔺 A flat frame has 10 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
28. 28.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a planetarium roof (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
30. 30.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
32. 32.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
34. 34.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
38. 38.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.🔺 A flat frame has 9 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
40. 40.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids